Wednesday, May 9, 2012

New Improvements to the Editor

We're always thinking of ways to improve your creation experience on
Polyvore. So we've been working on some changes to the editor to make it
easier to use, especially for new users. After surveying users new and
old, we found some areas to improve. Today we're excited to introduce
our first round of changes, with more to come. Here are the changes we're making:

More obvious background tool. We've
made the background tool more obvious by showing a preview of how an
image will look with its background, without it and with custom
cropping.

Bigger Publish button. The 'Publish' button is now bigger and blue so it's easy to see.

Improved visual design. We'veupdated
the editor icons to be consistent with the rest of the site's look and
feel. Also, to make it easier for newer members to navigate the items
tab, we've added bottom pagination and a link back to all items in the
header.

We
hope you like the new changes and find them helpful. As always, we love
to hear your feedback. If you have thoughts or suggestions on things
you'd like to see in the editor, please leave a comment here.

I know you guys try to keep things look modern, streamlined, and pretty.You've said it before.So why in hell would you do this?

I have a laptop. My screen is smaller. Your piece-of-crap, ugly, and outdated 'update' literally takes up my entire editor. I HAVE NO ROOM TO MAKE SETS. SO THANKS. GUESS ME AND LIKE ONE MILLION OTHER PEOPLE WILL BE LEAVING BECAUSE YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T WANT TO GIVE US ROOM TO BE CREATIVE.I APPRECIATE IT. REALLY.

I can't stand this. I will attempt to get used to it, AS USUAL, but again, I am foreseeing failing to do so. But alas, since you hardly ever listen to the commenters on your blog posts, this comment is in great vain, eh?

The new tool sets are a little large. I have a large monitor, but I also like to use my small laptop once in awhile, and can easily see where the new tool bars would be major space hog. I wish there was a way to expand and unexpand the items tray!

LOVE THIS. Don't listen to these people...stop being so picky, you guys! I'm sure the Polyvore Staff is trying -_-...It looks great, and the bigger text makes things easier, not to mention things seem to be moving faster now that when I click a photo the options are right there. Thanks again for the changes...everyone will just have to get used to them like we did with the homepage, right? Pretty soon people will just conform...

It's far to bulky and distracting! I have a laptop and I can barely see anything on the screen! Please just make it smaller so I can see everything! I'll try and get used to it, but its so inconvenient!

I love it! Thank you, Polyvore!I use a laptop, and I still can make sets! Though I don't publish 'em! I think people will start to like it! I thought it was pretty bad, but it is very useful if you go through it. People really need to calm down right now. I find it nicer to look at, and easier to use!

the new tool bars are really large, unfortunately. i think what's most important for the users is enough space to create their sets, which is already limited because of the huge sidebar on the right side. maybe you could implement an option to fold in and out the sidebar, so we could switch between the views.

Like the new capabilities. One thing I'd like to see is a transparency slider and transparency brush so we can control "see through" more selectively. Being an artsy type, I'd also love a way to be able to save things at a higher dpi. . .

i actually really like the changes, and for people whose screens are too small maybe you could try to press ctrl and then the - button. it'll make you zoom out. haha that's what i do. i really like what you've done, though! i feel it's much more efficient and really nice. A++, polyvore team! c:

Unlike, many of the other 'rude' members of your fabulous site. I actually enjoy and like the new layout. I love the fact that we may fix those choppy and cut up backgrounds, about an hour before you had edited the site I was creating a set for that competition 'Courthouse Wedding' I think it's called, and it took me forever to get a background simply due to the fact that they were all either completely unvisable or super blurry. But, now it very easy. I do not think you should listen to any of these immature little girls becuase clearly, a grown woman or atleast a mature girl would be able to voice her opinion w/o over 4 curse words in her post. I do not think 'MILLIONS' of...Lol, one second I still have to laugh at that 'OVER-EXAGGERATED' comment. Ooooh lord, anyways I don't think to many people will leave, making a dent in your websites population. I think that if the members of this site were truly loyal, they would find some way to bare with the glitches until a later time, when your finally able to fix them. But, eh even if a few people do 'leave', 'abandon', or just 'take a break' it wont be a big deal. I love it :D

Personally, I really like this new edit! The new, quick way to edit backgrounds is very useful for me. Although, I'd like to request one thing: the ability to have multiple "my items" tabs open! It's quite annoying for me to have to switch between tags all the time and have to remember the page I'd been on; multiple "my items" tabs would really help.Thanks for your consideration, I suppose.

I liked, people need to try to get used before start the hating. I have a laptop too and it is completely perfect size :) AND IS FUCKING TRANSLUCENT! which makes you able to work under the gray area. So stop complaining people.

You did NOT need to change the editor, it was FINE except for the fact that when we publish sets or collections the editor forced us to see the published set or collection instead of staying in the editor. That was ALL you needed to fix. It was ALREADY modern and perfect. But now it is too bulky, and distracting. Too big as well. I can't make sets and when I want to now...I just can't stand the look...it makes me feel disgusted. The bigger buttons were NOT necessary, just like the bigger sets weren't. Bigger is NOT always better and in this case it is NOT. And the page buttons at the bottom are UNNECESSARY and repetitive. I'd rather just have the arrow ones on the top stay the same. The one's who are agreeing to this change are NOT looking at the overall effect, for future uses, they are NOT seeing the obvious faults. You REALLY should allow people to vote for changes, let some have them and if others don't want them then they can stay with the old version! PLEASE change it back. These past updates (the new homepage, the set publishing problem, the group layout, and this editor update) are bad. PLEASE change the editor back. We've tried to get used to past changes but THIS ONE is just TOO MUCH!

I hate this change. Like I've pretty much hated all of the other changes that you've made recently. This one is horrible though. It's going to be super difficult for people with smaller screens to make sets on. I don't know what size screen you use, but it's impossible for me to use the editor to see what I'm doing. But I'll eventually get used to this change because you guys never listen to our opinion. This is why people leave your website. Another pointless & unnecessary change.

Wow seriously these comments are horrific! They are trying to make a better more improved site. Do you think maybe someone asked for this? Or they got enough comments back to make the change? GEE! If you don't like it then fine don't make sets. But what you don't have to do is act immature and write mean comments. I like the new change! I feel my sets are bigger now and I have a small monitor on my computer desktop. I feel I have more room. So maybe they need to fix it for smaller computers. Just say that! Don't scream at them like they killed your puppy. Calm your coconuts people! And FYI they will always change, streamline and try to make the site better! If you don't like a sit that does that then I don't know what to tell you. EVERY site does it!

STOP complaining and go play with your Barbies instead. If you would of played with the new feature instead of complaining, you would've known it's translucent! And if you want to leave, do everyone a favor and please do so!

OH MY!!! If I was able to take my 27-inch iMac screen with me everywhere I went, I wouldn't have a problem ... but, but, but ... I do a lot of my creating on a laptop and you've stolen all my screen real estate. I don't mind the "improvements" so much as I dislike the size of them.

Have you ever thought about providing folks with the ability to set some preferences or at least a way to personalize the interface ... Obviously not, because I keep asking you to consider this and, to date, you haven't implemented NOR countered my suggestion(s) with a reason why.

Good think I love you guys so much ... but you're really making it hard on me.

It's going to take getting used to but, I'm sure eventually I'll adjust to it.I feel like some of the stuff is too big. I like the the new background thing, but there should be a way to hide it once we're done with it.I also don't really get the point of having two different page through options (one at the top and one at the bottom).

Exactly WHY did the publish button need to be bigger? You'd have to be dumb and blind to see a button that says 'Publish.' Also the editor icons take up too much room, as so many others have previously stated, and furthermore, how could new members not find the old icons not easy to use? That's only possible if you can't read. I like the bottom pagination. I really wish people had the chance to reject or accept new changes that the Polyvore staff makes. Is there a reason why this would not be possible?

Honestly, it's a bit big. Even with the translucent grey boxes, the item selection box is way too big and it takes up a lot of space. I guess I'm only going to be able to make sets on a desktop with a wider screen when I have one available. It's an inconvenience, definitely. :|

The "custom" part is too low, interfering with being able to see the top part of the set you're working on without zooming out 3 or 4 times...very irritating & time consuming. Also, the publish box is too large, interfering with seeing the left side of the set. Other than those things, I like the other changes, like being able to get to any page without clicking ALL the way back through. I also like the "keep" & "remove" improvement...much easier!

I dont really have a problem with this but I think for the people who have smaller screens it could be an issue. The only thing that I see wrong with it is, that sometimes when I move one item, another drags along with it. A couple seconds later it will go back to the spot I originally had it placed, but its annoying that every time I move an item something moves with it! I'd rather have the old editor, but that's the only problem with the new one.

I am usually pretty supportive of the changes you guys make to the site. But after creating a set with the new changes, I have to admit it was rather clunky and distracting. I can definitely see where it would be frustrating to those using laptops, or with otherwise smaller screens. Usually I can see the reasons behind changes, even when they're unpopular, and eventually we get used to them, but I really don't see much use in this most recent change.

I LOVE the item scrolling but I feel iffy on the new tool icons. While I understand the older ones were harder to spot and find, we all got used to them and the new ones are a bit more in your face. if there was a way to get them to drop out of site or expand and decrease them, it would be so much better

Sorry Polyvore. I love you and all, but my screen is tiny and this update is really annoying. I already had trouble making sets on my small screen, and you've just made it worse. I can't see everything I'm doing. Please make the buttons resizable or something, so that we Polyvorians with small screens can make the buttons smaller. And I can only now see three lines of items at a time, which is a real pain when there are so many dresses/tops/shoes/etc to choose from. To give you an idea, my space to make a set is now about 50% of what it used to be. Because of the annoying buttons. The publish button does not need to be that big. So please fix it, to make it easier for those of us with small screens.

Hmmm, at first look it is pretty bulky and I have a large screen. Our workspace is important to us so I'd suggest always keeping any buttons in a single column. Not really sure I like the grey boxes at all but I'm sure I'll get used to them, we really don't need the grey background going all the way along where the different image options are. I also noticed a little while ago that you've stopped showing the website name under the image description, I actually miss that, it was useful sometimes if I wanted to search for similar items.

This is the first time I comment on a change that you guys make but I honestly don't like this one.Maybe it works better on computers with big screens but I use a laptop and it takes too much space.toooo much!I know you are trying to make things better but I use the editor to create sets quite often and this change bothers me.Please fix this!

One thing I'd like to see is a transparency slider and transparency brush so we can control "see through" more selectively on any item.. like text for example. Layering with this feature available would be super fun and I would lovvve to see it. Wanted to for a long time now. =)

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I LOVE this update! I have a small screen because I work on my laptop all the time. I thought that the background tool was going to take up too much space, but it doesn't! Everything is transparent! You can see through the tools in the editor. I think that is better than the other design. The background tool is a major improvement for me and it's easier to see what I'm creating.

It's true. Kinda taking up most of the usable screen design space. I'm working on a netbook right now. I am already using the smallest font setting and the top and side buttons keep on being highlighted by accident. Irritating as hell. Maybe you can make 'em smaller or change the design a bit to accommodate smaller screens. I am all for tech upgrades but sometimes it's a trial and error kinda thing.

I think the idea behind this is great, it looks more modern and is more visually appealing, but it could definitely use some tweaking.

- I'd like it better if the buttons on the left side took up less space. I get why you made the publish button bigger (I've seen plenty of newbies not know how to publish), but it's just too big. I would take it down like at least 25%. I think the fact that it's blue is enough for people to be able to find it more easily, it doesn't have to be huge too.

- The background idea is interesting and seems like a good idea in concept, but it's gigantic, distracting, and annoying. Maybe we could have a feature that allows more seasoned polyvore users to turn it off, because it seems like the only people who have trouble using the background button are new users. Better yet, maybe you guys could do a video tutorial or something that new users could watch to learn about all the features of the editor and site. And make it accessible! It's not easy finding the help page these days.

- Not a fan of how the zoom in/out buttons work on items. That means every time I want to zoom in and out I'm going to have to make sure I'm not clicked onto an item.

Anyway, the changes do look great, I just hope you guys will streamline them now.

the changes aren't that bad - probably be quite useful in the future. the issue is for smaller screens { like notebooks and aspirons } that the 'new and improved' editor takes up *most* of the space. and it's rather annoying. difficult to make sets.if that could be fixed and made to a different resolution for smaller screens, that'd be awesome.also, there are already a few problems with the editor that should've been fixed before doing all this: when you use the square tool in the custom background, the item disappears, so you can't see what you're cropping.you also can't see the line that you're making in the free-draw custom background.

I would love to see some improvements to the "My items" part. It's usually very hard to organize the items, so to maybe have the "color search"/Category part (from the "all items" area) in "My items" would be very useful indeed :) Hope you understood my point!Keep up the good work :)

I always try to use something enough to get to understand how it works. I like the ability to click on without, with and custom background. Previously I spent a lot of time going to the drop down menu and choosing (I use a lot of custom). However, after a while I was ready to reach into my screen and pluck off that thing! It drove me crazy. It takes too much of the screen. You have to make your image smaller to see what it covers up. Making your overall set smaller makes it harder to work with. The constant popping up and then disappearing was also distracting. I think if you had the same tool but it took up less space it would work. As it is, the popping back and forth is particularly prominent because it does cover part of the image.

I don't think it's that bad, I actually like it. It's a change I'll have to get used to, but so far I don't mind it.

I get it's a problem for some of you with smaller screens but that's all you have to say. Some of the comments are a little rude and unnecessary. You don't need to insult the people running this site. It's not like they're purposely trying to ruin your experience on here. They're just doing what they believe will improve it. So relax and maybe things will get resolved.

First of all I love Polyvore and make a set every single day. It is my relax time of the day. I don't think your new changes are a bad idea but they take up so much of the creating space it is now very difficult to make a set. You have to work in such a small area and it is now very hard to see and work with precision. I tried to enlarge my screen and it keeps telling me that Polyvore does not support this zoom level. At this rate I don't find making a set very relaxing anymore. I really did like it just the way it was . . . very easy to navigate and make a set. Hoping for a change back soon! Saralee

I LOVE IT! It is so much easier and all my editor problems are fixed. The only thing I don't like is how big the buttons are! Those should be a little tinier. Also how do you get back to the home screen for editor?

I like the page numbers, I think those are helpful. The tool bar on the left of the screen is nice also. I don't really like how it shows the different background options :/ It just seems to crowd the space. Other than that I think the changes are ok. As everyone gets used to them they will like them more :)

The bottom links that you guys used to change the item page when ur looking for an item is Okay. Which you can see that no one is complaining about that. The buttons are just to big make them smaller. I told you =).

Like many other users, this isn't compatible with my laptop screen either. :( The page links at the bottom are rather pointless, and the only feature that is actually NEEDED in the editor still isn't there: the ability to search through our own inventory using keywords, etc. However, once the resolution adjustment is fixed to work with different screen sizes, I don't mind it-however I don't think any of these changes were worth ousting the old layout...

I have a laptop and although the top section is a little too large, I really like the changes that have been made. Of course it will take time to get used to, but now the editor is able to do so much more then before. This change is a good one Polyvore! :D

I've liked all the changes made so far,but unfortunately not this one.I have problem with all the different buttons taking too much space,it does looks nice no doubt about that but it really is difficult making sets with these changes because there simply isn't enough room.So i'd really appreciate it if those things took a bit less space.

I actually really like it actually i LOVE IT OMG IM SO HAPPY! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HAPPY I AM! SO I CAN NOW PUT THINGS IN AND FILL IN THEIR BACKGROUNDS WHEN THEY DONT COME UP PROPERLY THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU SO SO MUCH!

All in all, the changes are quite alright. I don't have a problem with the screen and I'm using a laptop. I have to say though, the background option thing is a bit irritating. The preview option isn't bad, it would just look better, if the option would only be shown if people clicked on the 'background' option. I'm not sure if that made any sense, I hope that it did. It's just really distracting while making sets. And about the buttons on the left side, it would be less distracting if they'd be smaller. I think the fact that you made the publish button blue is enough and it doesn't need to be so big. I hope that you can make it smaller again. It's also really, really distracting while making sets.

I think its ok but I was getting used to the last one. Anyways, I guess change is good. So I think people should quit complaining about everything that Polyvore trys to do to help our experience better.

why are you mess up polyvore again it was good before. how is it possible that you think we could not see the publisch botten??? It dont have to bi that big.Its not transparent.It take to much space and we need the space for the set.Its not useful. I said it bevore polyvore was great I dont understand wy you change something that was great. please leave polyvore the way it was or make the buttons at least transparent for me. thank you.

I really don't see what the fuss is all about. I've only been on Polyvore about a month or so, and work on my sets almost every day. I LOVE the changes! I use my laptop exclusively, and have had no problems at all. Thank you, Polyvore, for a place to let my creativity flourish!

I really appreciate the buttons to control the backgrounds on items. I'm now using pics that I would have passed on before. I use a laptop and giving up a little real estate to get the nicer features doesn't bother me.Next, some way to correct white objects so I don't have to wrangle a white color block behind them to avoid the bleed through color?Thank you!

I am noticing I do not have enough room to build my sets. The buttons are overlapping the screen and blocking it off so I can't see the edges properly. If you have a huge monitor and the highest resolution it might be okay but I'm pretty sure most people are working on lap tops or notebooks. We need our work space to be bigger- or at least the option to make it bigger! With the "improvement" our work space is significantly smaller and there seems to be no way to make it any better.

first of all, thanks a lot for all your efforts to make the site more comfortable and easy to use. i've been working with the updated editor now for two days but i'm sure i will not get used to it because the permanent view of the background options takes up way to much of the creative space!!! love the minimized symbols of the left toolbar BUT please!!! make the background adjustment a wrap up function again because one more simple click can't mean the world . . . remembering form follows function!i'd be sincerely gracious if you had considered all the pleads for minimizing the background adjustment option. thanks a bunch in advance and a happy weekend, artgerecht

All of the buttons are way too big. I have a laptop so my screen is smaller. These buttons are way too chunky and we should go back to the old one, it was easy to use but not obtrusive. Not all of us make tiny sets in the editor with five items that get blown up later. We're artists. We need space to work.

I actually love it. It will take some getting used to but for the most part I think it looks really great! I do however think the icons are a bit too big, a little smaller would help to make sets easier.

I think it's a good idea, it's just too big >.< I have a 16in. laptop screen, and it still takes up way too much room. I would rather have the old one if you guys want it to be like this. It totally distracts from making a set.

I think it looks nice, but the problem I'm finding is that it just takes up too much room. When I'm making a set, I like to have a lot of room to zoom in on details so I can make the set just right. And I like the bigger buttons and the modernized look, but it's just too big. Thank you for your effort to make things better, but for the next update things should be quite a bit smaller.

Hello, there. I know a lot of people here have been real upset about the new changes, and I am afraid that I'm one of them. I'm not going to be rude about it, though. But, in all honesty, it is beyond frustrating. It is completely impossible to edit a set now. We're left guessing where to put an item. We're working blind! I haven't really wanted to create any new sets because of it. I can see I'm not the only one who feels this way, too. I hope that you take into account the comments and suggestions of the majority of your comments. We would all be so very happy if you can make this work for us again! I want to come back! There's an old saying: If it's not broken, don't fix it. Thank you, very much. :)

I think Polyvore is doing worse than changing the editor. With time, It's becoming more and more commercial and ungrateful. It's full of advertisement: I think this brings more money, but they stopped giving prizes for contests. Until last year there were a lot of 100 dollar cards, now everything disappeared. I'm deceived.

The background tool takes up to much room. Could we please make it collapsible again. If you want new users to know that it is there then the first time someone uses the creator they should get a tutorial. I don't need this huge background tool in my face all the time.

The publish button also did not need to be bigger. It's just another thing taking up to much room. If people couldn't find the button before then they have severe issues.

How about you make changes that we actually need in the editor. Being able to open our saved items in more than one tab at a time would be nice. Also, I believe we have all been begging for a color coder in our saved items as well. Are these things really so hard to do?

I could also go on and on about the fact that there is no notification when one of our sets has been hidden due to an invalid image. That is one thing we really really need.

How about you sort those things out before making any other 'cosmetic' changes to this site? There are so many more important changes you should be making. I don't think any of those ideas are big asks.

I think the layout before was much neater and relaxing. The layout now is chunky and amature looking. Even though I know you are trying, I feel that the previous layout was a lot cleaner looking, and it would be nice to have it back. Thank you!

Please do not change this.It now takes me forever to create a set. I have a smaller screen and use the laptop and all of the buttons end up right in the middle of my screen....especially the background function. Leave this alone...whose idea was that anyway?? Crazy chaos!

I like the new design. It took a few moments to get used to but on the whole it didn't effect my workflow. My comment is regarding mobile users. If you could come up with a way to make the site more mobile device friendly that would make a huge difference to me. At the moment, I cannot make sets at all on my tablet. Just an idea for foture updates.

I agree, It's hard to arrange the set because your items go on top of all the buttons, and then you can't click them. This is a bit frustrating, and I wish the changes wouldn't interfere with the canvas itself for set making, but other than that, nice changes.

Due to these changes and them taking up all my creating space . . . i just don't want to make sets anymore. The top part is really annoying! Also the publish button is just too wide and onto the creating space. Overall I think these are the most uneeded changes Polyvore has made. Keeping my fingers crossed that you soon change it back to where it was.

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Very, VERY difficult to use on a laptop. It's already hard enough to grab and drag things from the top of the editor on a computer but this is just ridiculous. Please fix it! I can't even make sets anymore!

this thing sucks! I hate it. The old one was already REALLY simple. Mine wont even let me move stuff around. I keep clicking and dragging and it doesnt do anything and that stupid background thing is always in my way when im trying to decide where to put an item. PLEASE FIX IT OR TELL ME WHAT IM DOING WRONG BECAUSE I AM SO CONFUSED.

Any chance you guys will make this a downloadable program or web-based for use outside of just posting to Polyvore (meaning we'd be able to download our sets/creations for images to be used elsewhere). I'd pay for something like this!$!$!$! Think about it!

Hi. I am having trouble using polyvore on my laptop; I can't use it on my laptop (Windows 7, Google Chrome), but I CAN use it on my pc (Windows XP, Google Chrome).Do you know why this happens? I can't do anything, I can't clip images, I can't create a set, I can't like sets, basically all I can do on my laptop is sign in and sign off... I started using polyvore 2 days ago, and only from my pc since it won't work on my laptop.Oh, and I already deleted the cookies and I'm using the last version of Chrome on both computers. Please help me!!!! Thanks.